Is Calvert’s budget big enough?
Added funding requests appear unlikely to happen for next year
The proposed general fund fiscal 2023 budget presented to the Calvert County commissioners by a staff at a public hearing Tuesday night totals $334.7 million, nearly $7 million more than the current fiscal year. Yet, with all its heft, the spending plan for the fiscal year that begins this July falls spectacularly short of what local government, education and local enforcement is requesting.
In a memo to the commissioners, Mark Willis, the county administrator, stated, “The increased revenues of the general fund are primarily due to an increase in estimated income tax receipts and recordation taxes. As we prepare for slower revenue growth, partially from the payment in lieu of tax agreement with Dominion and partially from the board’s decision to lower the property tax rate over the last two years, it is imperative that the deployment of these resources be handled, as in the past, with sincere prudence.”
Willis further noted in his memo that “an additional $8.9 million in new requests were requested by staff but are not funded in this budget.”
During his remarks at the hearing’s conclusion, Commissioner President Earl F. “Buddy” Hance (R) stated he learned earlier in the day that the additional requests were more in the neighborhood of $20 million.
Arguably the most pronounced and provocative discrepancy in the additional funding being requested in the school superintendent’s proposed fiscal 2023 budget. The school system is requesting an additional $9.17 million. The staff’s proposed budget only adds $3.8 million.
The Calvert County Board of Education was scheduled to approve Superintendent Daniel D. Curry’s proposed $246.4 million budget on Thursday, March 24.
During his Tuesday night presentation to the commissioners, Curry noted that added funding was needed for purchasing “future-ready” technology, hiking staff pay, honoring bus contracts, hiring four additional guidance counselors and two “gifted and talented” teachers plus addressing utility and fixed charges increases.
Curry, who will be retiring as superintendent the day the new fiscal year starts, also pointed out that Maryland’s Kirwan Commission legislation is going to mandate significant teacher salary increases for each of the state’s public school systems.
Maureen Murphy, College of Southern Maryland president, thanked county officials for supporting the college’s “modest increases” for the upcoming fiscal year.
“I’m the realist in the room,” said Hance. “All of these requests for increased funding are not frivolous, based on real need. The realist in me has to tell everyone that while the staff budget is balanced … we only have enough to cover a third of these requests.”
In addition to the school board’s request, Hance said it will take $4.5 million to give county government staff pay step increases and a cost of living adjustment, $2.7 million to provide “pay parity” for local sheriff’s deputies and approximately $1.7 million for additional emergency medical services technician support.
“We have to balance the budgets,” said Hance.